Yankee Doodle Blonde: Yep, they're after the same group, and we see in this chapter what happens. It is sad Tod and Vixey don't live in the game preserve anymore, but they only live just outside of it and they're not living there comes into play later on
Chapter 4
Andy stood directly where he was with baited breath, watching the scene before him. His gun, which had been raised so he could aim through it, slowly lowered. Not a singe shot had been fired so far, and yet there now remained only one quail left in the clearing, the inducer of a tense stand off. Andy could hardly believe what he was seeing.
There, in the clearing stood his puppy, Chipi, holding on to the carcass of a newly killed quail. The problem, though, was that Chipi wasn't the only one holding on to the bird. The puppy stared with wide eyes up at the fox, Tod, who had managed to grab the bird around the neck.
Both animals, being completely unaware of the other, had rushed out at the group of quail at the exact same time. Even though odds were in Tod's favor, it was unclear exactly which of the two of them had been the one to kill the bird. Even Tod and Chipi didn't know themselves, it had all happened so fast; and now here they were, having startled each other.
As the shock slowly wore off, Tod began considering trying to leave the clearing somehow. As for whether that retreat would be with or without the quail, the fox was still trying to work out how complicated it would be to get the bird away from the puppy. Yet before these thoughts could travel very far, Tod suddenly heard a branch snap and as he glanced over, his eyes going wide at the presence of the hunter.
The option of even trying to shoot the fox was quickly dismissed in Andy's mind. There was too much of a risk of him hitting Chipi in the process and as far as Andy was concerned the fox was now the one posing the threat. If he got desperate to get away with the quail, the fox could turn on Chipi and the puppy just wouldn't hold up in a scuffle with an adult male fox.
Tod kept his eyes on the hunter as he remained glued to his spot, and Chipi kept her eyes on Tod as she remained glued to her spot. Andy slowly bent down and began to whistle softly, so as not to startle the fox. "Here Chipi" he whistled, "Come here girl!". Chipi seemed to not hear her master, as she continued to stare at the fox before her.
She slowly glanced back down at the quail and then back up at the fox, who still had it's gaze locked on Andy. Chipi slowly cleared her throat, "Uh, es'cuse me, sr" she said looking back up at Tod, the quail still held between her teeth. Tod slowly turned his gaze to regard the puppy. Chipi gave a slight smile and then frowned again in doubt.
"Uh, sr" Chipi said, "I--I kinda need fis fr my master" she said, motioning with her eyes towards where Andy now stood. Tod just continued to stare at the puppy silently. Chipi frowned, "Pwease" she said. Tod remained silent, just staring at her. Chipi frowned even more. Tod seemed to swallow slightly, as best he could in his position, and finally answered in a soft voice, "six cubs".
At first Chipi looked confused, but then realization slowly dawned on her face. "Chipi!" Andy whispered again, bringing his puppy's attention back to him, "Come on girl, it's ok, just let it go, come here" Andy whispered. Chipi glanced from her master back at the fox. Slowly, she released her hold on the quail's tail.
After dropping the bird, Chipi remained where she was, staring at Tod for a bit more, and then she bolted straight towards where Andy stood. Tod took advantage of the hunter's attention being diverted to the puppy and quickly darted off through the bushes, taking the quail with him.
Andy breathed a sigh of relief as Chipi reached him safely. He bent down and picked her up. "That's alright, girl" he said, patting her head. Andy glanced up at the night sky briefly and sighed. "Maybe we need to wait until tomorrow when Mr. Amos and his dogs can show us the ropes, huh?" he asked, patting Chipi again. "Come on, let's get back to the widow's place".
A/N: Ok, Copper and Chief have been kinda absent for the last few chapters, but we get back to them in the next chapter!
Chapter 4
Andy stood directly where he was with baited breath, watching the scene before him. His gun, which had been raised so he could aim through it, slowly lowered. Not a singe shot had been fired so far, and yet there now remained only one quail left in the clearing, the inducer of a tense stand off. Andy could hardly believe what he was seeing.
There, in the clearing stood his puppy, Chipi, holding on to the carcass of a newly killed quail. The problem, though, was that Chipi wasn't the only one holding on to the bird. The puppy stared with wide eyes up at the fox, Tod, who had managed to grab the bird around the neck.
Both animals, being completely unaware of the other, had rushed out at the group of quail at the exact same time. Even though odds were in Tod's favor, it was unclear exactly which of the two of them had been the one to kill the bird. Even Tod and Chipi didn't know themselves, it had all happened so fast; and now here they were, having startled each other.
As the shock slowly wore off, Tod began considering trying to leave the clearing somehow. As for whether that retreat would be with or without the quail, the fox was still trying to work out how complicated it would be to get the bird away from the puppy. Yet before these thoughts could travel very far, Tod suddenly heard a branch snap and as he glanced over, his eyes going wide at the presence of the hunter.
The option of even trying to shoot the fox was quickly dismissed in Andy's mind. There was too much of a risk of him hitting Chipi in the process and as far as Andy was concerned the fox was now the one posing the threat. If he got desperate to get away with the quail, the fox could turn on Chipi and the puppy just wouldn't hold up in a scuffle with an adult male fox.
Tod kept his eyes on the hunter as he remained glued to his spot, and Chipi kept her eyes on Tod as she remained glued to her spot. Andy slowly bent down and began to whistle softly, so as not to startle the fox. "Here Chipi" he whistled, "Come here girl!". Chipi seemed to not hear her master, as she continued to stare at the fox before her.
She slowly glanced back down at the quail and then back up at the fox, who still had it's gaze locked on Andy. Chipi slowly cleared her throat, "Uh, es'cuse me, sr" she said looking back up at Tod, the quail still held between her teeth. Tod slowly turned his gaze to regard the puppy. Chipi gave a slight smile and then frowned again in doubt.
"Uh, sr" Chipi said, "I--I kinda need fis fr my master" she said, motioning with her eyes towards where Andy now stood. Tod just continued to stare at the puppy silently. Chipi frowned, "Pwease" she said. Tod remained silent, just staring at her. Chipi frowned even more. Tod seemed to swallow slightly, as best he could in his position, and finally answered in a soft voice, "six cubs".
At first Chipi looked confused, but then realization slowly dawned on her face. "Chipi!" Andy whispered again, bringing his puppy's attention back to him, "Come on girl, it's ok, just let it go, come here" Andy whispered. Chipi glanced from her master back at the fox. Slowly, she released her hold on the quail's tail.
After dropping the bird, Chipi remained where she was, staring at Tod for a bit more, and then she bolted straight towards where Andy stood. Tod took advantage of the hunter's attention being diverted to the puppy and quickly darted off through the bushes, taking the quail with him.
Andy breathed a sigh of relief as Chipi reached him safely. He bent down and picked her up. "That's alright, girl" he said, patting her head. Andy glanced up at the night sky briefly and sighed. "Maybe we need to wait until tomorrow when Mr. Amos and his dogs can show us the ropes, huh?" he asked, patting Chipi again. "Come on, let's get back to the widow's place".
A/N: Ok, Copper and Chief have been kinda absent for the last few chapters, but we get back to them in the next chapter!